He who aligned the stars

I

It was always a busy time around this place, but never before had it been quite so rushed. It might have made sense, years of preparation and months of planning were finally starting to bear fruit, after all, but that didn't make it any less of a wonder to behold. There was something exhilarating about it, a slight tremble in his heart as he realised how close they finally were to their objective.

And yet, there was a deep sense of foreboding.

What they had been planning was dangerous enough as it was, but putting it into practice was a very different thing altogether. Regardless of that, to take a step back now and express doubts so far would not do. It was best to appear more confident, more controlled and certainly calmer than he actually felt.

He stopped, letting the two individuals in front of him walk past without incident. They didn't notice him as they were rather engrossed in their own discussion. A few stray words that they spoke of piqued his interest ever so slightly, something to do with the manipulation of light to weaken Devils. He supposed that made sense, they were more sensitive in sunlight because of their enhanced physiology. So approaching them from the perspective of animals might well merit further insight.

A curious hum came to him as he considered that point.

A topic of conversation for himself and Kadoc had virtually fallen into his lap, perhaps he could bring the notion up with his teammate and they could actually have an in depth discussion about it. Both for the results it could yield and so he could actually speak at length with him in a way that didn't look like they would rather be anywhere else but in a conversation with him.

He continued onwards, the bleached white halls were always something that tickled his sensibilities. Idly glancing over them as he did so and coming to a stop next to the window and staring out at the expanse. His barely visible reflection stared right back at him, the expression a perfect mask. Beyond his own visage, he could see the tundra, the swirling of storms blocking out the natural sunlight.

That was the one issue he had with the headquarters.

There was never any sunlight, he supposed keeping their location a secret was a given but did it have to be in such a way that they could never see the light of day? The overhead lightning did it's job and multiple enhancements had ensured they were getting all the same levels of vitamins as though they were standing in the sun - he recalled someone once mentioning a garden but he wasn't sure if that was a joke or not - but it wasn't the same.

With a quiet breath, he turned away from the snowy horizon and back towards the hallways. Resuming his march towards the main assembly point. He'd been alert that a meeting was requested the second he had returned, so it would likely be to have a complaint levied towards him for his sudden disappearance with barely any warning.

It was also a fair criticism, one that he would accept without complaint.

Perhaps he had been a touch excited, it had been years since he had spoken with Leona Da Vinci. Or rather, Leona Archaman, now. He did consider her someone who could be called a friend…Perhaps, he liked to believe the time they spent speaking with one another was as enjoyable for her as it was for him. Though they didn't interact much outside of work studies or assignments, so perhaps it would have been better to call them cordial acquaintances.

Either way, evidence of her progress could be seen if one looked close enough and new talent was always something that leaders should be on the lookout for. In truth, she had been one of the first names that popped into his head when he considered the recruitment roster but she had covered her tracks well, though news of a 'Genius Freelancer' was something he made sure to keep track of.

Eventually landing in a small little town in Japan, it would have been rather peculiar were it not for the fact that such a small town lay on the centre of one of the largest ley lines in the country - just behind Kyoto - and was also the current territory of two of the kin of the current Satans. One would have been rather bewildering, both of them were nearing absurd. Though given Leona, he supposed that it would have been a given she liked things in excess. If her plan truly was freelancing as an inventor, then young Devils who would be eager to break away from their siblings' reputations would be a perfect location for her.

Still, even if he had not met with Leona, he wouldn't say the trip was wasted.

"Lord Wodime!"

The voice caused him to pause, a slight twitch coming upon his lips as his previously masked expression shifted into something more peaceful. Turning around as the sound of running steps reached his ears, he made it halfway before he took notice of the young blonde girl, rushing towards him with a surprised look on her face. He raised an eyebrow at her choice of attire, whereas before she had used a blue cape and large blue hat, now she simply had her hair styled into a ponytail and a thin white cape draped over her shoulders.

…It was eerily familiar.

Then again, they did say the best form of flattery was mimicry.

"Le Fay." Nonetheless, he ignored the slight change of her outfit and greeted her with a nod of the head. Smiling lightly at her as she came to a stop next to him, staring up for a moment before she similarly bowed her head in greeting which lasted a few seconds longer than it really needed to, she brought her head back up as and clasped her hands in front of herself, looking as though she wanted to say something but holding herself back.

That was unfortunate, he would have preferred it if she had the confidence to speak without asking for his permission first and foremost. She didn't do that with Arthur, so why did she have to do that with him? Both Le Fay and Ophelia were like that but at least Ophelia offered her insights without prompt if she believed them truly worth it.

Still, if he wanted to keep the conversation moving, he would need to do something. "I trust that your surprise relates to my sudden departure and swift return?" There was little else it could be related to, and her rapid nodding of her head only served to cement that point.

"I see. I will offer my most sincere apologies, I had intended to leave warning of my departure but it was simply a case of…" He trailed off, watching as Le Fay shook her head from side to side, a brilliant smile on her face.

"It is quite alright, Lord Wodime." She excused him, taking on a patient and respectful tone. "If it was important enough that you needed to depart on short notice without an alert, then it is something that I have no right to complain about."

Well, that was a nice sentiment for her to take but he had just rushed off to meet an old friend without telling anyone and when that failed, he sat down and had a casual cup of coffee and told jokes with her husband before leaving. It was hardly as though it contributed to the greater plan as a whole and certainly not the sort of thing that he could justify. Though, once again, he would not have called it a waste of time. It was revealing to him on a number of different levels.

"I am gladdened that you express such confidence in my choices." He replied instead, there was no need to try and correct her. If only because he didn't believe she would fully understand and it was a necessary risk. Leona was a woman whose talent far exceeded even his own in different respects, he might have matched her in magecraft but she excelled far beyond just that. Having her as an ally would have boosted their abilities a tremendous amount and he had left a message with Romani. So if she was interested, he knew she would reach out to him.

He was confident that she would anyway.

"Were you awaiting my arrival or were you similarly called for a meeting with the staff?"

Le Fay paused for a moment before shaking her head "Forgive my ignorance, Lord Wodime. I was unaware that there was a meeting even taking place. Not even my brother knew about it, so perhaps it is just for those of your own group?"

Wodime hummed, nodding his head. "If Arthur was not invited, then I shall assume as much." However, there was something about that sentence that gave him pause for a brief moment. She only mentioned Arthur but there was no mention of the others, which likely meant they were not currently present. Hardly a surprise, however, considering that the length of time they actively spent around them was rather limited.

The blonde girl paused for a moment, then tilted her head "Perhaps it is merely Lord Cao Cao wishing to speak with you alone?"

"I would assume as much, now that the point has been raised. It is what I am currently of the belief of. Whatever other reason, I did leave without giving notice, an act which is hardly acceptable regardless of what my intentions were." Turning towards the hallway, he continued his walk while he heard Le Fay come into step next to him. "Though I was not gone long, I do feel the need to ask whether or not something has occurred in my absence."

"Lord Daybit left shortly after you did."

He what?

"Daybit did?" He couldn't quite keep the surprise out of his voice, widening his eyes ever so slightly and looking down at the blonde, she nodded her head as they walked, confirming that he had not been hearing things. "Did he say where he was going?"

"He left a message with one of your associates, so I did not think it proper of me to inquire beyond that."

"It is not a matter of proper or not. As long as this alliance between our two groups stands, you should at least be made aware of why one of our most key members has departed. To ignore something like that would invite strife between our two groups and that cannot be allowed to occur." The pair came to a stop in front of an elevator, Wodime reached out and pressed the small rounded button. "Even if you are not a direct member, you are still entitled to be made aware of such things, or at least have the confidence to ask with the belief you will receive an answer."

Le Fay did not say anything for a few moments, Wodime was slightly concerned he might have been a touch too critical but he needed to get his point across. The young girl needed to believe that she was considered an important member of their association, so being confident in asking for information was important.

"Alright." She said after a second of silence "Yes, I will do better in the future. But, did this mean that you also didn't know that Lord Daybit was planning on leaving?"

That was the crux of the matter.

"Daybit's departure is as surprising to me as it likely was to you, though I trust that he was doing something that required his personal attention." That was how things worked with Daybit, he would only do something directly if he had to. More than that, everything he did contributed to their plan in some way, whether or not you understood that was secondary. The fact that Daybit did was enough. "I will be sure to ask around and see if he gave warning to any of the others as well, perhaps they might shed some light on the situation."

Le Fay blinked "I do not believe you need to go so far, Lord Wodime-"

"It is fine." He assured her "This is simply a matter of procedure. Though given that Daybit himself has gone, this could likely spell his departure from any length of time. Between a day or approaching a week." A stray thought came to his mind, reaching up and stroking his chin as he hummed to himself. "I believe the longest length of time was two weeks he had disappeared. He returned but getting an explanation as to what he was doing proved rather difficult. Well, Peperoncino made the attempt but Daybit still provided little in the way of explanation."

He recalled that peculiar session of Peperoncino trying to get the information out of Daybit with promises of food and exotic tea's. If Wodime was being honest, the mage had driven quite the hard bargain. "It was not until the next week that we actually learned what he had been away doing, and that was only because someone had spotted his hair in the background of a newspaper."

Le Fay blinked "...Really?" There was clear disbelief in her voice but beyond that, there was an edge of amusement. Wodime felt the need to revel in the change of tone, it sounded less professional and more personal at this point, progress was being made in his desire to close the distance between himself and his teammates and other allies. "What was it related to?"

"The newspapers themselves regarded it as a police raid on a sweatshop following an anonymous tip to the police. Though there was a prevailing theory that the owner had been some manner of Fallen Angel, though he was never apprehended. Though the appearance of Daybit in the papers was certainly cause for suspicion on the fate that became of them."

Le Fay looked positively dumbfounded by the story, she wasn't alone in that belief. There had been quite a gossip storm about Daybit's perceived act of vigilantism. The only response from the man in question was that 'It needed doing' and that was that. Minor acts like that only reaffirmed the moral of the force that there was no deed too small for them to take notice of.

After a few moments, her lips curled up into a smile. "That sounds…rather incredible of him."

"Quite so."

It was a few moments later that Le Fay seemingly frowned, her brows pinched together as though she was just realising something. Wodime fought back the urge to react to it, instead staring straight ahead towards the doors in front of himself, however, he did react when she directly turned her head and stared up at him with clear confusion and intrigue in her expression. "Forgive my question, but you said 'prevailing theory' Lord Wodime."

She noticed that, did she? That was good of her, it was always important to maintain awareness of what the other person was saying so that nothing was lost in the conversation. Though he could not truly recall a moment in which Le Fay ever lost anything when she spoke with him, between herself and Ophelia he was certain he would never forget a single thing that he said during a conversation.

Regardless of that, she was certainly correct.

"I did indeed."

She opened her mouth for a moment, then paused as she looked as though she was deciding what to say. After what amounted to a good second or two of silence, she eventually spoke in a rather curious but slightly hesitant tone of voice. "But it isn't confirmed, is it?"

"I do not believe it ever was, no. Daybit himself does not truly speak of it at all or has not since the incident. At least to myself, perhaps he mentioned something of it with Peperoncino but if he did, neither one of them has chosen to share it with me." He had tried to understand the secrecy, but he was still having a bit of trouble in discussing anything with the rather flamboyant person. It wasn't as though they were starved for conversation between the two of them but Wodime always felt there was something…missing, when they spoke.

He'd seen the way Daybit and Peperoncino spoke with one another, in comparison to how those two spoke, his conversations with the person felt rather…lacking.

"I see." Le Fay nodded her head after a moment, then turned herself away from him and focused on the doors in front of them as the hum of the elevator's movements echoed around them.

Wodime almost felt like frowning at how quickly she had dropped the topic of conversation once he had said that. He needed to do something if he wanted to keep the conversation going…what was it that Romani told him to do?

"I just…with me, I just treat all the children the same. Regardless of who they are or what position they are in they're all just students in my eyes. I don't lie to them about what I'm feeling and that's just it…the best thing I can say is…"

Speak how he truly felt without putting on airs, yes, that might work in this situation.

Clearing his throat, he attracted the attention of Le Fay once more, the girl shifting her attention to him with a tilt of the head. Though he decided to speak up before she could even open her mouth.

"Though, if I were to give my own interpretation of what Daybit intended…I would bring up the question of why the motivation matters in the least." That brought a blink to the young girl, as though she couldn't quite understand what he was saying. "I imagine that is also what Daybit refers to when he said 'it needed doing'. Whether or not there was a Fallen or Devil involved in the end does not matter, I suspect that Daybit simply went out of his way to offer his assistance regardless."

"...Truly?" The blonde blinked, then looked slightly more confused than before. "Does that mean he would travel all the way to…where did you say he went?"

"I believe it was somewhere in Canada." It was rather bewildering to see that the man had travelled so far and for presumably little more reason than to go to a remote location and end the operation of a single sweatshop in the middle of a rather unimportant town that really affected nothing. However, if Daybit felt it was important, then he would not think to criticise him. "Though I can see the surprise on your face."

It was rather obvious, the slight parting of her lips and the widening of her eyes. "I…forgive me, Lord Wodime, it is merely that I could not consider someone such as yourselves going out of your way for something such as this." she quickly raised her hand "Not that I would say it is unworthy of your attention, merely that-"

He raised his hand to cut her off. "It was an innocent query on my part. The fact remains, whether or not I believe that there was a Fallen Angel involved is very little reason for me to change my perspective on the matter. At the end of the day, humans were being exploited and that has come to an end. Whether that comes at the hands of other humans or another race should not devalue the actions themselves."

Lowering the hand, he hummed to himself. "At least, that is how I imagine Daybit would see it if you asked him about it. Perhaps there was something of value there or perhaps there was not. Either way, I trust him to have made the correct choice. However, that is hardly something to pioneer, hence why it is the prevailing theory that there was a Fallen Angel in control of the location that had information."

"But nobody knows for certain?"

He shook his head "That is a secret shared between Daybit, those who worked at the location and those whom he chose to share the information with." which, thus far, had not included him. At the same time, he did not feel the true need to be included. The air of mystery that surrounded Daybit's actions was always something that many spoke of. A man of few words yet clearly a genius, it was almost incredible how people would perceive his actions in a variety of ways.

Le Fay looked away from him, reaching up and tapping her chin for a few seconds before her lips twitched upwards into a gentle smile. "Well, perhaps it does not truly matter what the reason was, so long as those people are safe. That is what we are trying to do, isn't it?"

"Perhaps on a grander scale, but yes." That wasn't to say he was now going to spend his afternoons galavanting around the world chasing down purse snatchers and fraudsters. Sometimes the bigger picture took precedence and having the time to spare with such things was something that Daybit was capable of in abundance.

"Do you believe he is doing something similar, Lord Wodime?"

Wodime felt his heart thrum with excitement.

This was his chance!

"I shall put it in a simple term. I would not wish to be in the shoes of whatever hellion commits a crime in the presence of Daybit."

Le Fay stared at him in silence.

He maintained a small smile on his lips.

"...Pfft." She snorted briefly, turning away from him and clearly making an effort to not laugh as she bit her lip.

Wodime himself felt more than a little proud at that effort, it would seem the advice of Romani was being well received. He would need to pass his thanks along to the man when he saw him again. He would also need to return the favour of the coffee he had provided, it was only fair after all.

Her reaction was swiftly stifled, though she had not burst into laughter like he had hoped, she had still shown clear amusement at his attempt at humour. This was still a success in his mind and, therefore, something to build upon. At the very least, he was gradually demonstrating the ability to be more 'down to earth' as the saying went. Perhaps he would soon be able to achieve the casual relationship that Romani seemed to have with his own peers.

The elevator humming ceased, Wodime returned his attention to the doors as they slowly opened themselves up, on the other side of the doors was stood a boy a bit younger than himself with dark hair, even in doors he kept those sunglasses covering his head to go with the black t-shirt and trousers he was currently wearing. Certainly a theme that had been obvious about him since his arrival.

A jolt was the response of the young adult, though his brows rose for but a brief moment they quickly lowered themselves down and his expression returned to being passive. Offering a single tilt of the head before speaking up. "I see you have returned, Wodime."

"Connla." He nodded back to the young adult, whose gaze turned from himself to Le Fay by his side, his lips thinned for a moment. "Shall I assume you were sent to ensure I had not vanished from the base once again?"

"Along those lines, yes." The man replied, then returned his attention to Wodime "Though it was just as much to see if Daybit had returned in your stead." his hands went to his pockets, letting out a small breath as he shook his head from side to side, though it wasn't apparent Wodime could tell there was a clear touch of annoyance in the posture of the man. "The actions of both yourself and Void caused Lord Cao Cao no small end of trouble, especially since we were due to begin a meeting shortly before the pair of you up and vanished."

Before Wodime could get a word out, Le Fay jumped in before him and took a step forwards, placing her hands atop one another and in front of herself. "If Lord Wodime and Lord Daybit felt it necessary, then that is reason enough to allow their departure. There is just as much chance that the matter took precedence at a speed that he could not allow for a message to be left behind." She took a moment to draw in a breath "To my knowledge, Lord Daybit left a message behind and it is not Lord Cao Cao that he is responsible to."

Though her tone was as polite and cordial as ever, the words were clearly an effort to excuse his behaviour, though he hardly required someone to speak on his own behalf the sentiment was still appreciated. Especially since she continually displayed a great deal of confidence in his decision making.

…

He couldn't speak on behalf of Daybit, but his own motives were hardly pressing enough.

Connla was silent for a moment, his brows furrowed ever so slightly as he leaned backwards. His head turned from one of them to the other in several short intervals before he let out a noise of dismissal. "Even if you say that, I am still dubious of the belief that something could emerge swiftly enough that Wodime would be incapable of alerting Lord Cao Cao to his own departure and how long he felt the journey would last."

Before Le Fay could speak up again, Wodime raised his hand to cut her off. Ensuring that his eyes did not leave the man in front of him as he lowered the hand once more. "As much as I agree with your words, need I remind you of the current position you uphold?"

He took a single step forwards, frowning more openly as Connla took a step backwards. While he would not normally do something such as this, there was a clear hierarchy to be maintained and while repercussions were certainly something he would expect, it would be preferable that it came from one of an equal position to his own. "The power to criticise my choices is not one open to you."

Connla fell silent, though he kept looking into his eyes to his credit.

"It is not I who is subordinate to yourself." He continued onwards "I accept you hold greater respect for Cao Cao than myself. He is, after all, your faction leader. However, that does not mean that I am not one you might. It would be best that you recall your place amongst your own peers in order to avoid overstepping your bounds once again, would it not?"

Connla said nothing.

"You have passed along your message, was there something else that you required or was that all you came for?"

The man was silent for a moment, then he cleared his throat and nodded his head. "That was all I came for."

"In that case, I would suggest you find something else to attend to that is better suited for your time than causing arguments." He paused for a moment, leaning back and turning away from the man and resuming his walk down the hallway. "Consider this a reminder."

After a few steps, he paused and turned back around, looking to Le Fay, "On a similar note, I suspect that if you were not informed of the meeting, then your appearance at it is not something that would be deemed acceptable." it was something he might well have been troubled by, however it extended to Le Fay in the same way that it Connla.

It would not do to be seen playing favourites, after all, and the group that Le Fay was affiliated with was something that was outside the influence of both himself and Cao Cao's faction. Until such a time that they were trusted enough to be included in the greater designs, he would not be so open to discuss them, even with someone such as her.

Le Fay nodded her head in understanding of his words, a polite smile still on her face as she brought her head back up and stared at him. She paused for a moment, then spoke up. "As you say, Lord Wodime. Though I was asked by Lord Vali to, once again, pass along the same message to you as last time."

Wodime fought back a slight grimace on his features, ever since the silver haired man had discovered that he was considered to be of equal position to Cao Cao, he had wanted to engage him in a 'spar' of sorts. Though he doubted that Vali expected much from him in terms of combat abilities, Wodime was more than content to let him believe as such. It was probably little more than a formality.

One he was not so interested in entertaining.

"Please relay that my stance has not changed and that I doubt he would derive much from trying to engage me in a battle. There is precious little that a human mage could attempt to do against him without ideal circumstances." Besides, if the time came that he ever fought Vali, he would prefer that it came at a point where the other was not aware of the full breadth of his abilities.

Le Fay kept an understanding smile on her face, nodding her head at him. "Of course. I suspect that Lord Vali will remain unsurprised by your answer."

"If he is so unsurprised, then what compels him to keep making the attempt?" Connla chose that moment to offer his own thoughts on the matter, grunting and shaking his head from side to side as he spoke. Attracting Wodime's attention to the man and tilting his head ever so slightly. Though he did not speak openly, it still served to spur Connla to continue his point. "And why do you continue to deny him? The longer this goes on the more insistent he will become. Lord Cao Cao had to engage him swiftly in order to put an end to his demands."

"Because if I am to be involved in combat, it will be something to be taken seriously from the very beginning." He replied, it was not something he did regularly or at all. "As such, it would likely end with Vali taking the battle seriously as well, during which time I have little doubt it would attract undue attention that we would be better without."

Though that was not to boast of his own skills, he was confident in what he could do, but if he fought seriously from the very beginning then it would be rather problematic. To say nothing of the fact that Vali was still an affiliate of the Grigori, even if it was only temporary for the moment, which meant there was a good chance some of his movements were still being watched. Certainly not all of them, but more than enough that any battle they had would not be as private as the man would hope.

That and Wodime genuinely had little interest in doing battle with him in such a way.

Though there was one thing that he was more willing to indulge in. "Though you may tell Vali that he is free to join either myself or Arthur in one of our small sessions." he flashed a smile towards Le Fay "I am certain it would be a rather interesting encounter for him. Though I suspect he might find it a touch troubling to match Arthur, though I am certain he will find the challenge gratifying."

Connla snorted, though that was more derisive than anything else, the man sharply turning his head to the side in order to hide the smile that was clearly mocking. Wodime found himself frowning lightly, he had meant the words in a genuine sense. Vali was one who appreciated a challenge and working to match Arthur in any sort of swordsmanship engagement was already fighting an uphill battle.

It was certainly nothing to be ashamed of, he would even go so far as to say Arthur could match Cao Cao when it came to that manner of combat. Though he was not truly interested in which one of the two of them would be victorious.

Le Fay nodded her head once again "I will be sure to pass along your message, would you also like me to pass along another request to my brother about another match?"

…

"...Perhaps another time." He might have enjoyed it as a pastime but there was only so many times he could find himself staring at the point end of Arthur's rapier touching the bridge of his nose. Besides, there was a time and a place and he suspected he would not get much of either in the days to come. Between what he had been initially working on and the length of time it would take, there was no telling how long he would be away.

Much as he might enjoy the odd form of exercise, it was much of an investment each time that they did so and even if it was so low stakes that it could not even be considered worthwhile, that did not stop some of the more…excitable members of their group from piling into the room and throwing around bets. While Wodime was more than happy to facilitate some level of goodwill amongst the staff, that did not mean it should have come at the expense of progress.

Le Fay gave another nod of the head, this one more understanding as she turned and retreated, but not before offering a final word. "Don't worry, Lord Wodime. I understand completely. Fighting my brother can be considered a rather humbling experience, but he told me that you exceeded his initial expectations so I am certain he would be willing to go once again!" She finished her sentence with a bright smile, then continued her walk through the hallways.

Both himself and Connla watched her depart, the latter turning to him and raising an eyebrow above his sunglasses. "Sometimes I wonder if she is actually being genuine or if she is merely seeing how far her innocent persona will allow her to tread with her veiled insults."

He raised an eyebrow right back at the dark haired man "Insults? Perhaps we were engaged in an entirely different conversation but I was not one to hear any manner of insult levied towards me. Unless you refer to the fact that Arthur claimed I had exceeded his expectations, in which case I am rather pleased by that comment."

"I was in reference to the fact she called you a coward in all but the word." Was the blunt response he received, prompting a frown to come upon his face. Though Connla shook his head from side to side as he started to walk forwards, soon passing Wodime and moving through the hallways to the second elevator at the far end of the corridor. "Regardless, I believe we have dawdled long enough and Lord Cao Cao instructed me to bring you directly to him the moment you arrived."

He might have wanted to say more, perhaps in an effort to try and defend Le Fay, he understood what she had meant. Indeed, fighting Arthur in any capacity - be it Chess or fencing - was quite the humbling experience, though it was a field of activity that he was more than happy to be considered the junior in. Unlike Arthur, he had pursued it only as a hobby rather than a lifestyle, if something like Arthur claimed that he had exceeded expectations, then that was something to wear with a badge of honour.

Le Fay had perhaps assumed that his string of defeats had left him in a rather dour mood. In which case, her comment would more have been trying to assuage his concerns and offer him some manner of emotional support while appearing more professional. It was a few steps backwards from his earlier banter but the thought was appreciated regardless.

Connla was more direct in this manner of thinking, so trying to speak on behalf of Le Fay for what she really meant would probably afford him very little aside from an argument from the youth. It was not worth it. So long as he understood what she had meant, then that was more than enough for his own concerns.

"You are quite correct, it would be prudent to meet with Cao Cao sooner as opposed to later." He remarked instead, shifting his posture and tone to be more composed. A mask of tranquillity fell upon his expression as he turned on his heel and started to follow after the man. The pair of them falling into step with one another as they moved through the hallway towards the lift, it might have been a short journey but Wodime could not help but ponder why Connla was still following him.

"Were you similarly invited to the meeting?"

"No."

And it would seem that matters got curiouser and curiouser.

"I see. Then you have business with Cao Cao that cannot wait?"

"Yes."

He hummed in acknowledgement, sparing Connla a look out of the corner of his eye and watching the man for any sort of reaction he might have given. The expression was mostly ice cool, there the slight tension of his shoulders indicated that he might have been a little on edge. Something that he picked up on rather swiftly, though he did not give an immediate reaction to it. Instead he turned his eyes away from Connla and moved them straight ahead.

When the pair stood before the elevator, Wodime moved his hand and pressed the flat of his palm against the large flat screen next to the door. A glowing line traced an outline of the hand against the screen, moving across before a horizontal line descended from the top to the bottom. After a second, the screen flashed green and Wodime pulled his hand backwards, all the while making sure to keep Connla inside his field of view at all times though not being too obvious about it.

He wasn't sure why Connla had been sent to find and accompany him when a message would have worked in much the same way. Nor did he give attention to the clear on edge posture that the man was currently wearing on his sleeve. It was rather alarming to him, if only because he did not think he was actually that intimidating a person.

Was Connla acting this way because he wasn't sure how he was supposed to speak with him when alone? Perhaps that was indeed the case. Whenever Connla was with Cao Cao, there was never any hint of this nervous posture around him but that was because he had absolute faith in the man. Perhaps it was because they had only exchanged around a dozen or so conversations with one another in the time they had been working and they had never been at length.

That would certainly explain things, it was likely the case that Connla wasn't sure how he was supposed to speak directly with him, having never been alone before. He supposed he had felt the same level of mild discomfort when he had been alone with Romani before, though he imagined he had hid it well enough but there was just something daunting about meeting a complete stranger.

Perhaps he would need to work on it.

The elevator doors chimed, parting and revealing the empty interior. Stepping inside, Wodime turned around and waited to see what Connla would do next. The man followed him in, walking past him and assuming a spot just behind his left shoulder. It was rather obvious, all things considered, and he was certain even Connla was aware of it by this point. However, that was just the nature of Cao Cao, he supposed.

Still, he might as well settle some curiosities while he was here.

He idly pressed the lift button as he spoke. "There is something that I admit some curiosity about in recent weeks."

Connla hummed in acknowledgement, though did not speak.

"Why do you wear sunglasses indoors at all times?" It had been strange at first but he had assumed it was a quirk like Peperonciono's fashion sense. When you worked alongside someone like that, many things tended to get overlooked but perhaps it was his proximity to Connla now that had brought the topic back to his mind and now made him question whether it was a personality quirk or if he had some sort of medical reason for it.

"Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing important, it was just something I had noticed." Wodime explained with an idle shrug of his shoulders. "Though I admit there is some personal interest with whether or not it is a condition or merely something you do for appearances sake. You have met Peperoncino, yes?"

Though Connla did not answer, Wodime felt as though he had the man's attention now and that he had gotten across what he meant. "Though I would not compare it to his own sense of…personalisation-" that felt the best way of phrasing it, exotic and flashy were other words that came to mind "-it is still something I am rather curious of."

"...I have Photophobia."

…Well then.

Wodime fought back from allowing his expression to drop, even if Connla could not see his face; that was no reason to show him just how awkward he felt from having effectively stumbled onto the equivalent of a landmine in terms of conversation topics. "...I shall assume it is not of the sort that comes and goes."

"No. It's only called photophobia because that is what the doctors diagnosed it as." The words were more curt now, indicating just how little interest that Connla actually had in this conversation. "And it cannot be cured because it is an unintended side effect of my Sacred Gear. I gain better eyesight during the night at the cost of sensitivity during the day. Though considering the nature of my Sacred Gear, it goes without saying, doesn't it?"

"...I would say that it does, yes."

Wodime was not surprised in the least that dead silence followed that particular conversation, Connla was clearly unwilling to speak further and he wasn't going to try and push the matter. At the very least it had answered his question as to why the man would always wear sunglasses and did confirm one of his suspicions. Though that wasn't to say there weren't alternatives, but perhaps it was just a case that sunglasses were the easiest option for him.

Maybe he would bring up the idea of specialised contacts at a different point in time for the inheritor to consider. They were much less obvious than sunglasses, but perhaps he had grown used to them? Well, if Connla had no further interest in pushing the subject then Wodime would oblige him. He felt he might have overstepped enough for one day, perhaps growing too overconfident in the small progress he had made with Le Fay.

He fought back the sigh of exasperation that threatened to bubble within him, sometimes he really seemed to read people incorrectly.

The doors opened in front of them, Wodime moved in first towards the large circular room, a table residing in the centre that played host to a great many seats. At present Wodime could see enough for himself and a small portion of the Hero Factions own members, which meant it was to be a meeting of the upper echelons.

The singular light that hung above their head flickered as the brightness was increased, Wodime fought back a frown as he now considered the fact that the person behind him was sensitive to such things. Though looking back to see his reaction might inadvertently come across as rude. But not showing a reaction might say that he didn't care in the least.

Sometimes it was difficult.

Though what caught his attention was the fact that no one else was present in the room save for one. Cao Cao standing at the far end - on the opposite side of the round table - with his attention focused on the screens built into the furniture rather than the people who had entered the room. To his credit, he did look up briefly and nod in their direction before returning to his own work, though that was just to close down whatever he had been looking at.

"Wodime, I see you have finally returned to us from your sudden holiday." Cao Cao's tone was light enough, almost sounding amused, as he leaned back into his chair and locked his fingers together. "I'd have asked to come along but you left without saying a word so I'm more curious if it was something secretive."

Wodime raised an eyebrow at him "It was a rather sudden venture, yes."

"Hmm." Cao Cao nodded his head, then leaned to the side slightly to look over Wodime's shoulder, jerking his chin slightly. "You can go now, Connla. Thank you."

"Of course, Lord Cao Cao." The man behind him remarked, Wodime heard the scuff of footsteps against the floor and the ding of the elevator doors closing before the hum fell away into silence, leaving himself and Cao Cao alone in the room.

The dark haired man slid his chair back, rising up from his seated position and still keeping the cordial smile on his face as he spoke. "I'm more bewildered than anything else that it was you who vanished. At least when the others do something along those lines it's expected of them…" there was a moment where he trailed off "Well, maybe except for Georg but he rarely leaves unless he has to, so I would imagine that's a poor example in my own case."

"But you are rightly concerned that I acted outside of my behavioural norms."

Cao Cao nodded his head, shrugging his shoulders as he crossed his arms behind his back. "You were the one who is always talking about the importance of forethought and then we wake up to find out that you have up and walked out." a chuckle came from the man, shaking his head from side to side "I don't believe I have ever seen people so panicked before. Then Daybit soon follows you but he at least said he was going somewhere important."

He thinned his lips "Quite frankly, the fact he left a message at all is something I should be grateful for, I suppose."

Placing his left hand on his hip, Cao Cao brought his right towards his face and pinched the bridge of his nose, knitting his brows together as a weary sigh escaped him. "It is not as though I am vexed by this, merely that I feel this was undue concern…unless you're going to explain why you decided to leave in the first place and quite so suddenly?" he lowered the hand, giving Wodime a slightly piercing look "In much the same way that I would have left a message with you if I was to head out and deal with something alone."

The right hand moved between the two of them "This partnership is built upon trust and a sharing of information. Vanishing without a word hardly gives off a good image, does it? Especially at such a turning point."

It wasn't that Cao Cao was wrong, rather he had been correct.

"You are quite right in these feelings." Wodime nodded along with the man, pulling his lips into a troubled frown. "The truth of the matter is that I was rather excited when I finally discovered a credible lead on a little project of mine for so long that I wished to move swiftly before it had a chance to vanish."

Cao Cao blinked, as if he didn't quite understand what he had heard, then he started to laugh. His expression shifted from apprehension to mirth so smoothly that it was almost impressive. "Oh, so you were just overly excited and couldn't wait to find it?" Raising an eyebrow, the man continued onwards "Well, I suppose if it is something important enough to get you excited then I shall leave well enough alone, though now I'm more curious than concerned."

"It was merely a case of me looking for new talent."

"Talent recommended by yourself?" Cao Cao's brows rose, then he pursued his lips and nodded his head, turning and leaning over the table, resting his hands on the screen. "In that case, I can understand why you would have wanted to chase this lead down so quickly. Did anything come of it? I was informed that you arrived alone."

"It would appear that I arrived at an inopportune moment in time." He sighed, not trying to mask his disappointment. "Unfortunately I was not able to meet with them and remaining in the territory longer would have attracted unseemly elements to my presence. Though I did leave a message that I am certain will bear fruit."

"...Very well then." Cao Cao nodded his head, smiling to himself and leaning back. "If that is what you went for, then I can accept that." the smile remained on his face even as he let out a breath. "All of this commotion for a recruitment mission, all you needed to say was 'I'm going to meet with someone important that I believe could help us' and I would have been assuaged."

"That would have implied success." He raised his hand, cutting off Cao Cao "They are indeed their own person and I cannot force their cooperation. Nor can I so easily let slip details of our mission. Besides, our combined presence would have almost certainly been cause for alarm for the faction present in the region."

Cao Cao made a face "Yes, I suppose it would." crossing his arms over his chest, he drummed his fingers before they halted. "Well, if you ever require assistance with this then I am sure we might be able to spare someone who could assist you. Perhaps Georg, if they are another mage that even you would recognise."

"I am certain that I alone am sufficient. Besides, there is some small history between us that I believe would lend credence to this matter. I admit that Georg is skilled but his personality is much more direct than this particular operation requires." That being said, it was also for the benefit of Georg's pride as well. When he went to school with Leona, she had easily been his superior in Magecraft, perhaps not by much but still his superior, and that had been years ago.

There was no telling how far she had come since then. True, he had improved leaps and bounds as well but it came with the realisation that there would be those who would remain his superiors. He applied his own level of progress to Leona. The thought was both exhilarating and frightening at the same time.

"That and I believe he would be rather…outmatched, by this individual."

"High praise indeed." Cao Cao cupped his chin between his fingers, then nodded his head "If you say so, but the offer remains open all the same." he glanced to the side, staring at the clock in the corner of the room. "On another note, this little meeting of ours was to take place before an actual assembly was called so your return occurred at a most fortunate moment. The others should already be on their way here."

"Ah, wonderful."

"I do not suppose Daybit informed you he was departing before he left?"

"He did not. Though I am certain he will return by the time the meeting begins." Wodime turned, moving towards his own seat at the table and pulling it backwards. "Whatever he has gone away to do, I am certain that it will be beneficial to us in the long term.

Everything hurt.

Even the act of breathing was difficult for her, natural regeneration would afford her some small comfort but it was still nothing more than a minor alleviation to her current state. Her body moved against her will once again, spasming as the continued effects of the curse rampaged through her form.

She wouldn't cry out, she had enough dignity for that.

Who knew how long it had been since the Devils and their human pet had left but she didn't know or care. All she was aware of was the fact she had lost, she had lost and the only reason she was still alive was because she had been shown mercy at the whim of the girl she had tried to kill earlier. Or perhaps she had succeeded in killing earlier…

She should have gone for the head.

Raynare dry heaved as she pushed her muscles to their limits, driving her elbows into the ground beneath her and levying her body upwards. As expected, moving was difficult for her and only served to further aggravate her own wounds, a snarl of pain emerged from her throat and fizzled out just as swiftly. Succeeding in rolling from her back onto her front.

Remaining here would serve nothing.

She didn't trust the Devils not to come back and kill her, in fact she was almost certain that they would do so. Everyone who had come with her was more than likely dead, she could see the limp bodies of both Dohnaseek and Mittlet not too far from her. A pang of something flashed through her but she quickly ignored it. Right now the most important thing on her mind was getting herself to safety.

Dragging her hands along the ground, she laid the flat of her palms against the cold stone flooring, wincing at the roughness she felt from the scatterings of debris beneath her. It was likely the curse that was making her feel this way, all she had to do was get onto her feet and then she'd have to find some way of getting out of here. A teleportation spell would probably be her best bet…

It was just a case of waiting until either someone noticed their disappearance - as unlikely as that was - or waiting for the curse to dissipate on its own. She had no clue how long that would take either if it would happen at all.

It was the fault of those Devils, everything to do with them and that stupid little cockroach boy they had brought back from the dead. He was supposed to have nothing more than twice critical! He was accompanied by nothing more than a human mage! She was a Fallen Angel, one of those who had been by the side of God since before the first civilisations of man came about.

And she had lost to some filthy little human germs?

Unacceptable.

It was unacceptable.

She cast their faces to their memories, she did not care how long it took, she would make them pay for this humiliation, for ruining all her hard work and costing her the chance to become something greater than she was. Power was within her grasp, the ability to become a supreme Fallen Angel that would have assured her a seat next to the likes of Azazel and Shemhazai.

Her hands pressed down, her muscles working in overdrive to raise her body off the ground, she could see trails of blood linking her from the floor to her head. She merely put it down as another thing they would answer for. Sparing her life in such a demeaning way and then just leaving her on the floor like garbage?

She grunted, coughing out another lungful of air.

"Fucking…human…scum…"

She would, without a doubt, get them back for this humiliation-

A crack echoed through the halls, she froze at the noise and turned her head towards the entrance as she noticed moonlight cast a shadow over the floor, originating from the open doors. She couldn't see all that well, but there was a clear outline of a man standing there with wild looking hair and a coat that went down to his knees.

Not a single word was said by the man as he strode into the room, not an ounce of alarm was seen within their posture as they moved, nor did they say a single word.

"Who…the…fuck…are…?" It was all she could manage out, in truth she was now debating whether or not asking for help would be prudent but if this person came here and was unsurprised by the mess, then that could only mean it had occurred as they expected it to happen.

The man stopped a good few feet from her, though he didn't stare at her and instead turned his attention to the bodies of her former allies. Now that he was closer, she could make out that he wore a dark leather coat with matching trousers, thick boots covering his feet and messy blonde hair residing at the top of his head.

"Well…!" She croaked out as best she could, the silence driving her very nearly insane as the man said not a single word. "Who are…fucking…nevermind, do you work with the Devils?"

The man still wasn't looking at her, tilting his head as he stared at the bodies of her allies.

"Fuck sake…look at me-"

Something blurred in the corner of her eye, it looked like a shadow but-

Wrong.

Wrong.

Wrong.

Wrong.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG!

WRON-!

…Why was she moving across the room at incredible speeds?

How come everything had gone numb.

Where did that headless body come from? She never saw anything like that when she had turned her head to the crowd?

Why was it wearing her clothes-

A wet thudded echoed out from somewhere across the Church, though he did not spare it any mind as he continued to examine the bodies of the Grigori agents on the floor.

Their deaths were anticipated and had gone much as he had calculated they would have done. Though the sparing of the two Fallen had not been something he initially accounted for, the conversation with Romani Archaman had introduced new elements into the eventual showdown.

The first Fallen had already departed the territory, the second was not someone he could allow to report his existence to. Certainly not for what he intended to do.

His head turned from the bodies towards the hole in the floor, the stairwell that led towards the basement.

An extractor for Sacred Gears, it was a modification of the soul in a rather simple way but the foundations of such a device would be useful for what was to come. Moving it would obviously alert the Fallen as to its disappearance and the Devils would claim they had left it where it lay.

Troublesome, but not a great obstacle.

He moved past the headless body, descending down the steps into the darkness.

A quick glance would be all he required, then he would depart.

Still, to think the Devils would have spared the lives of not one but two Fallen, at the behest of human morality as well.

It would have likely been the nun that spared the life of the Fallen, perhaps it was unfortunate that her act of mercy had been undone by him but that was just a fact of life.

Doing something for one's own interest regardless of how it was perceived was just as relevant to acts of violence as it was to acts of mercy and charity.

AN: Before you all get in a huff about Raynare dying, remember that Romani said that it was only Kalawarna who had a currently undecided fate.

Anyway, this is the Arc that will be replacing the Phenex Arc, though that will at least be discussed, though only as a side bit and not the main focus.

You wanted changes? Have Team-A.